Friction-clutch



, G.-ALBER. FRICTION CLUTCH.

AP PL|CAT| 0N FILED MAR.19, 11920.

1 311319, Patented Mar. 15,1921.

' vdevice which is adapted to be interposed encasement, or GQLUMBUS, 01:10.

FRIGTION-GLUTGH. I

ToaZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I,

bus, in the county of Franklin and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Friction-Clutches, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relatesparticularly to release clutches for talking machine motors, and has for its primary object to provide a between theshaft of a s ring motor and the winding crank thereo the purpose and GEORGE ALBER, a citifzen of the United States, residing at Colum- Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 15, 1921.

Application filed March 19, 1920. Serial No. 367,158.

erence denotelike and cbrres ondin arts throughout the several viewe there f. In sa1d draw1ng:

Figure 1 1s a side elevation of the clutch comprisingthe present invention, and illustrating its application to the crank member of a talking machine.

construction of the device being toenable the manually manipulated crank to rotate i the' motor shaft in unison therewith when the spring or springs of thelmotor are un- I employed in connection with the crank struc- 'der normal stress conditions but to release the motor shaft from connection with the crank when the motor structure has been wound to a predetermined extent, the construction being such as to prevent the spring structure of a motor or other analo ous device from being harmed by the e ects of over-winding. In use the springs of atalking machine ,motor are frequently '0 ver-stressed by-undue and careless winding thereof. tion has the effect of frequently breaking such springs or, at least, results in their loss of resiliency and power, therefore,\'in view of these conditions repairs and replacements are often needed and the rotationl of the record supports is rendered uneven and at varying speeds. The present invention,

, therefore, consists in the provision of a slip clutch construction along frictionprmc ples' which is so positioned that the overwinldlng of the spring structure of a motor will be prevented, and frequently the conditions detrimental to the motors operation will be largely avoided. I

The invention further consists in a slip or relief clutch of the above character which is small and compact in design and is adapted to be positioned within the cabinet of a talking machine so as'to be concealed from an exterior viewpoint, and said clutch is further formed to embody features of adjustment which enable the same to be readily set to conform to the strength of the spring structures of varying motors.

For a further understanding of the invention, reference is to be had to the following description and to the accompanying drawing, in which similar characters of ref- 's conditure 2. of a talking-machine and is adapted to unite said crank structure with the shaft 3 of a sprln motor or its equivalent (not shown). .he crank structure 2, as shown. 1s located exteriorly of the cabinet wall 4 of a talking machine and is rotatably journaled as at 5 within said. wall, the operating end 6 of the crank structure being disposed so. as to extend in longitudinal alinement with the motor shaft 3. The clutch itself is interposed between the meeting ends of the shaft sections 3 and 6, and is adapted to lie within the wall 4 so as to be concealed from exterior view. By this location, the use of the clutch will not alter 01'' mar the appearance of a talking machine but as far as practical reasons are concerned, it will be apparent that if desiredsaid clutch may be exteriorly located.

In its preferred form the clutch 1 con sists of a housing or casing 7 preferably of circular and hollow form, said casing, therefore, includes a vertical wall 8, an integral longitudinal extending annular wall 9 and a longitudinal and axially located boss 10. The interior of said boss is suitably threaded so as to receive the similarly threaded end 11 of the motor shaft 3. By virtue of this construction, it will be manifest that the housing or casing will be carried in a rigid manner by the motor shaft and will be capable of rotating in unison with the latter. The arrangement of the walls 8 and 9 is such as to provide an'internal substantially circular chamber 12, which 'is'normally covered by means of a removable plate 13, the-latter being secured in detachable connection with the wall?) plane denoted by the by means of removable screws or their equivalents 14.1 l

The operating end 6 of the crank structure is suitably threaded to receive a friction collar 15, which latter is adapted to be positioned within the chamber 12 of the.

. casing 7, and is formed with an axially located threaded bore 16 for the reception of the threaded end 6 of said crank structure. The collar is provided with journaling hubs 17 and 18, the former being rotatably disposed within a circular recess 19. formed in the vertical wall 8 of the casing, while the hub 18 is also rotatably positioned within an axial opening 20 provided in the plate 13. It will thus be seen that the collar 15 will be capable of rotating with the crank structure, and independently of the motor shaft 3.

In order to transfer the movement of the collar 15 to the motor shaft, the chamber 12 is provided with a split gripping ring 21'. This ring is so formed as to receive the collar 15 and is capable of being frictionally clamped into engagement with the latter so cars will be forced toward each other, there-,

by causing the inner 'periphery of the ring to be brought into close frictional engagement with the outer periphery of the collar 15, and this frictional engagement is normally of such degree as to cause the ring and its accompanying casing to rotate in unison'with the crank structure. The wall 9 may be provided with an opening 26 disposed in alinement with the head of the set screw 25. By removing the screw 27 co v-' ering the opening 26 the set screw 25 will be rendered accessible, thereby permitting of convenient adjustment of the frictional grip which the ring 21 will exercise upon the collar 15. By the provision'of the opening 26 the necessity of removlng the cover avoided. If desire be positioned around the inner periphery of .the ring so that the latter=may obtain proper frictional contact with the periphery of the collar 15. Also, the inserts 28 may be employed to takeup the natural wear upon the relatively movable parts of plate 13 to eifect adi'ustment of the ring is the clutch and may be readily removed and replaced.

fiber inserts 28' may In operation, it will be apparent that the rotation of the crank structure 2 will im part similar rotation to the collar 15 carried thereby. This rotation on the partof motor with which the shaft 3 is associated has been wound to a predetermined extent and when this extent hasbeen reached the resistance offered by the shaft 3 W111 cause.

the collar 15 to slip or independently rotate within the ring 21, thus preventing the power applied to the crank structure from beingtransmitted to the motor shaft. Through the medium of the clutch 1, therefore, an element of safety is provided which will effectively prevent the over-Winding of a motor spring and will serve to overcome the many troubles which accrue from the over-winding of such springs.

While the invention has been specifically described as a talking machine attachment, owing to its great usefulness in this particular field, yet it will be understood that the use of the clutch is not limited to this particular field'of operation but thatthe said clutch may be employed in connection with many other forms of mechanism wherein driving and driven members are provided.

What is claimed. is:

1. A relief clutch for talking machine motors "comprising a casing capable. of being rotatably connected with a motor member, a split gripping element located within said casing and mounted to rotate in unison with the latter, and an operating memberpositioned within said element and frictionally gripped thereby, said element being capable of rotating with the operating member when said motor member is under normal load conditions but to be rotatably released from said operatin member when said motor member reac es a predetermined load condition.

2. A relief clutch comprising a driving fmember, and a longitudinal allned driven member, a collar rotatable with one of said members, a casing rotatable with the other member and a split friction ring mounted within said casin and capable of frictionally gripping sai collar whereby the latter will be caused to rotate in unison with said casing 3. relief clu h r lkmg machine motors, a winding crank, a motor'shaft, a

" idly carried engage with said casing carried by said motor shaft and having an internal chamber, an element carwithin said chamber, anda split ring surrounding said element and rotatable with said casing, said ring serving to frictionally unite said element with said casing for uniform rotation under normal load' conditions, but to release said casing from said element when an overload is placed upon said motor shaft.

4. A relief clutch for talking machine motors comprising a casing capable of being rigidly carried by the end of a niotor shaft, a collar positioned within said casing and adapted to be rigidly carried by the end of a winding shaft, a split friction ring mounted within said casing and rotatable with the latter," and adjustable means passing through the ends of said ring and capable of adjusting the degree of friction'between said ring and said collar. 1

5. A relief clutch for talking machine motors comprisin a casing capable of being rigidly carried%oy one end of a motor shaft, a collar mounted upon one end of a winding shaft and located within said casing, said collar being capable of rotating independently with respect to said casing, a split ring positioned within said casing and surrounding said collar, means whereby said ring will be rotatably connected with said casing, and a set screw passing through the spaced ends of said rin and capable of adjusting the degree of riction between sai ring and collar.

g 6. A relief clutch for talking machine motors, comprising a casing arranged to be rigidly carried by one end ofa motorshaft, a member rot'atably positioned within said casing'and rigidly carried by a winding shaft, .a split friction rin located within said casing and arrange to frictionally member, means whereby said ring will be caused to rotate inunison with said casing, a set screw for-oontrolling thev degree of friction existing between said ring and said member, and means whereby said set screw may be adjusted without re-v moving said casing.

7. A. relief clutch for talking machines comprising a casing capable of being a windinghaft, a member ri idly carried by said wmding shaft and positioned withrigby one end of a motor sha in said casing,

member, means for adjusting said ring to control the degree of friction between the latter and said member, and a plurality of fiber inserts positioned around the lnner tact with said member.

8. In a relief clutch for talking machine motors, a winding element and a motor shaft, a collar removably threaded upon one a split ring rotatable with said casing and situated to surnound said med by said winding crank and disposed periphery of said ring and arranged in conend of the wmding element, a casing removably positioned upon the adjoining end of the motor shaft, said casing being pr with an internal chamber arranged to ,receive said collar, a split resilient gripping vided member positioned within saidchamber and I arranged to be received and positioned around said collar, said gripping member being provided with spaced ends, a screw arranged to pass to draw the latter relatively whereby said through said ends so asgripping member may exercise a varying frictional grip upon'saidcollar, and a projection formed with said gripping member and arranged to be received within a recess provided within said casing, whereby said gripping member will be connected for rotation in unison with said casing.

'9. In a relief clutch for talkingmachine motors, a winding element, and a longitudinally alined motor shaft, a collar carried by one end of said winding element, a casing rotatably carried by the ad'oining end of said motor shaft, sa1d casing eing provided with a chamber capable of rotatably receiving said collar, a split resilient gripping member positioned within said chamber and arranged to surround and to circumferentially engage said collar, said gripping member being provided with spaced ends and connected forirotation in unison with said casing, a screw arranged to pass through the ends of said gripping member ter and said collar,

arranged to cover an openingprovided in I said' casing in alinement with said screw, whereby ;upon the removal of said element saidlscrew may be adjusted without involving the removal of said casing from about sa1d gripping member.

In testimony whereof I aifix my signature.

' GEORGE 

